Originally posted by marcb7:and the last thing I would want to give someone, that could possibly "catch" the wine bug, is a big, bold, tannic cali cab...they certainly are not going to wait to drink it, or have the capability to store it until its ready to drink. Instant gratification is what most non wine geeks desire IMO

Do you really think any of the wines I posted are bold tannic cabs? Had any modern Cali cabs of that price range lately.

HA! Cant say that I have actually....maybe they didnt have a "good" Champagne in the past

Even with the ready availability of the Internet, we can't assume that everyone everywhere would think of searching for and reading up on VC or Bolly if that showed up in their Christmas stocking. I'm lucky that my clients live and work here in the Bay Area, so there's generally a solid understanding of the "name brands" that I gift them. A couple of my clients are owned by LVMH, so I give out a lot of VC every year.

As to the OP's original question, if the recipients are less savvy/more "traditional" with what they're familiar with and would appreciate, stick with the well-known Cali cabs - - - Mondavi Oakville, Grgich Hills, Chateau Montelena, Jordan, Joseph Phelps and Silver Oak Alexander are all in the $35-$50 range if you look around.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. A key thing for me is to gift something that is pretty much ready to drink right away. Cali cabs seem to be the way to go! Unfortunately, living in Canada, we don't get the same prices as our neighbors to the south. A bottle of Silver Oak here is around $85 with a case discount lol. With that said, I'm looking at picking up some Chateau Montelena or Joseph Phelps. I also saw a 2007 Neal Cabernet recently. I haven't had any recent vintages from them for a while now, any opinions?

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:Meringue - if you have friends who are so "not" into wine that they wouldn't correlate New Year's Eve and a bottle of Champagne you should probably just give them a gift certificate to Applebee's and call it a day. PH

My non wino friends are probably drinking rum or scotch for most of the night on New Year's eve; thus they would not appreciate a champagne that evening; I would rather give them a Zacapa or a Macallan or Glenmorangie or something like that if I was hoping they would drink it on New Year's eve.

"The hardest thing to attain ... is the appreciation of difference without insisting on superiority" George Saintsbury

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:Meringue - if you have friends who are so "not" into wine that they wouldn't correlate New Year's Eve and a bottle of Champagne you should probably just give them a gift certificate to Applebee's and call it a day. PH

My non wino friends are probably drinking rum or scotch for most of the night on New Year's eve; thus they would not appreciate a champagne that evening; I would rather give them a Zacapa or a Macallan or Glenmorangie or something like that if I was hoping they would drink it on New Year's eve.

They don't have to drink the Champagne all friggin' night, Meringue! A toast with bubbly at midnight is a pretty standard New Year's Eve tradition even for non-drinkers, muchless non-winos. A bottle can give up to 10 folks a splash to toast with, and good Champagne gives them the benefit of not having to toast with garbage like Cook's or Andre to begin the New Year.

Best idea yet (seriously). A nice anejo or reposado should fall easily in your price range.

If you didn't add the "seriously," I would have thought you were kidding. We have people in this thread making an argument that Champagne "isn't for everyone." I think Tequila is way more "not for everyone" than Champagne.

Best idea yet (seriously). A nice anejo or reposado should fall easily in your price range.

If you didn't add the "seriously," I would have thought you were kidding. We have people in this thread making an argument that Champagne "isn't for everyone." I think Tequila is way more "not for everyone" than Champagne.

Cali cab would be the last thing I would buy for the casual wine drinker. It has been my experience that most casual wine drinkers open the wine within the week, and Cali cab ( my experience) does not show that well on release.

I have been to 5 ( ) corporate events this holiday season, and the overwhelming wine of choice, and I mean overwhelming has been Pinot Grigio, followed by sparkling ( non Champagne) then Spanish reds.

I cannot imagine anyone not being thankful they have a nice bottle of Champagne in their home to open over the holiday season, regardless if this is their favorite or not.

Originally posted by wine+art:A lot of interesting and opposing thoughts.

Cali cab would be the last thing I would buy for the casual wine drinker. It has been my experience that most casual wine drinkers open the wine within the week, and Cali cab ( my experience) does not show that well on release.

I have been to 5 ( ) corporate events this holiday season, and the overwhelming wine of choice, and I mean overwhelming has been Pinot Grigio, followed by sparkling ( non Champagne) then Spanish reds.

I cannot imagine anyone not being thankful they have a nice bottle of Champagne in their home to open over the holiday season, regardless if this is their favorite or not.

Seriously?

I keep going back to the original poster's statement that he gave the same or similar group Champagne and it didn't go over well. I find it rather puzzling how many keep saying give them Champagne again. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Giving most north American casual wine drinkers (the largest part of the target audience here) Champagne, Spanish reds, or Italian reds, is not going to be received as well as the group here would receive them.

I often gift a bottle of rather pedestrian (to my tastes) California Cabernet, and it is almost always universally well received by casual wine drinkers. People know it. People are familiar with it. People appreciate it. If someone gave me a decent bottle of Cab in a party setting that others with less wine experience than I have, I would appreciate it for the spirit of the gift, and for the fact that I could get some reasonable enjoyment out of it. Yes, I get it. Some of you seem to have a bias against these wines but you are not the average wine consumer.

I have non-winos tell me they don't like Champagne all the time. I don't understand this myself, but I accept it.

If your prime purpose is to educate or enlighten your guest, then hold a tasting instead. If your purpose is to give a gift for others to take home, Cabernet is the best choice in my opinion.

--------------------"One may dislike carrots, spinach, beetroot, or the skin on hot milk. But not wine. It is like hating the air that one breathes, since each is equally indispensable."

Originally posted by wine+art:A lot of interesting and opposing thoughts.

Cali cab would be the last thing I would buy for the casual wine drinker. It has been my experience that most casual wine drinkers open the wine within the week, and Cali cab ( my experience) does not show that well on release.

I have been to 5 ( ) corporate events this holiday season, and the overwhelming wine of choice, and I mean overwhelming has been Pinot Grigio, followed by sparkling ( non Champagne) then Spanish reds.

I cannot imagine anyone not being thankful they have a nice bottle of Champagne in their home to open over the holiday season, regardless if this is their favorite or not.

Seriously?

Completely serious. Perhaps since you live in California people prefer Cali wines.

We have had 5 holiday parties to date ( 2 more coming) and we allow each office to select their refreshments within reason, both wine, beer and spirits. Not one office has picked any wine from California, and I consider this cross section of 3000+ to be non serious wine people with a few exceptions. Not one office has picked an American beer which is different than years past.

I also have experienced solid/excellent options when shopping in Canada for wine from Italy and France, but never California.

I also do not think Cali cab drinks well on release ( exceptions I'm sure) and think most non-winos will open the bottle the same week they receive it.

Originally posted by wine+art:A lot of interesting and opposing thoughts.

Cali cab would be the last thing I would buy for the casual wine drinker. It has been my experience that most casual wine drinkers open the wine within the week, and Cali cab ( my experience) does not show that well on release.

I have been to 5 ( ) corporate events this holiday season, and the overwhelming wine of choice, and I mean overwhelming has been Pinot Grigio, followed by sparkling ( non Champagne) then Spanish reds.

I cannot imagine anyone not being thankful they have a nice bottle of Champagne in their home to open over the holiday season, regardless if this is their favorite or not.

Seriously?

Completely serious. Perhaps since you live in California people prefer Cali wines.

According to a quick look at an online source for the US,(a European source BTW) (yes I know this is Canada but I was unable to find a source) US consumption of California wine is 3 times that of all imported wine. My guess it that this holds true for other than California.

We have had 5 holiday parties to date ( 2 more coming) and we allow each office to select their refreshments within reason, both wine, beer and spirits. Not one office has picked any wine from California, and I consider this cross section of 3000+ to be non serious wine people with a few exceptions. Not one office has picked an American beer which is different than years past.

While I appreciate that this may be true, it is anecdotal. Maybe you need to step up on the beer choices. Some of the greatest beers in the world are now from the US when you exclude the mass produced stuff.

I also have experienced solid/excellent options when shopping in Canada for wine from Italy and France, but never California.

Yes, this may very well be true but I'm pretty certain you can source a California Cabernet without too much difficulty.

I also do not think Cali cab drinks well on release ( exceptions I'm sure) and think most non-winos will open the bottle the same week they receive it.

Also possibly true, however it doesn't answer the question regarding the previous reaction to the gift of Champagne. Sometimes gifts are given to make people happy and the fact is that most people drink wine sooner than most of us. I still believe that the choice I've suggested will be received well in spite of it not being in it's ideal drinking window.

I would much prefer a gift of Champagne, or a gift of a nice Priorat, or other spanish choice.

I am also not the target audience.

--------------------"One may dislike carrots, spinach, beetroot, or the skin on hot milk. But not wine. It is like hating the air that one breathes, since each is equally indispensable."